How It's Always Been
by Brokenxmelodies
Summary: Zig wants to let go of everyone but Maya and move on with her into a brighter future. However, his girlfriend Tori had other plans and Zig has mistakenly gotten caught up in them! Can he get out and follow his heart? ZAYA anyone? Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! Okay, this is a mini ZAYA story, it'll only be two or three chapters, probably two. But they'll be long! Anyway, I posted a preview for this story on my profile, along with some others! Check them out, they're mostly ZAYA but there's going to be an EClare one and probably a Drew/Katie one shot! I'll do the full summary here, tell me what you think! Please review, I love this stroy so very much and want you gusy to like it as well! :)**

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><p><strong>Full Summary:<strong> Zig Novak is 18 and has his whole future ahead of him. He and his best friend Maya Matlin have been accepted into Yale early admissions! He can study art and she can study music. He has also just had his first art gallery in Charlie's Young Artists of Toronto show! Ready for the future, Zig can't wait to let go of everyone but Maya and move on with his best friend into a brighter future. However, his girlfriend Tori had other plans...and Zig has mistakenly gotten caught up in them! Can he get out and follow his heart? Or will he do what she wants (as usual) and give up his dream? Maybe in the process he'll figure out what he really wants...ZAYA anyone?

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

"I just don't know what to do." An eighteen year old Zig Novak said, throwing his hands in the air angrily. The crisp winter air bit at his nose. Tiny snowflakes danced down to the earth, twirling and swirling in the slight breeze. Zig wished he was a snowflake; able to just float and fly and dance and be different from everyone and everything else.

"You're over reacting." His best friend and muse, Maya Matlin reasoned as they walked down the sidewalk that was brushed in snow.

"She picked out a ring, My." He informed her.

Wait, wait, wait. Let's back it up, shall we? Let's go back to the beginning, open the book from the first page, start with "once upon a time", and rebuild the story from its foundation instead of climax. Good choice.

So here it goes.

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><p>Zig was free. He was alive. He was opening his soul to the world all while standing in a crowded studio, drinking sparkling cider, and wearing jeans, a dress jacket and a graphic t-shirt. Zig was at his first art gallery. Don't misunderstand, Zig being the artist he is, had been to tons of art galleries before. But this was the first one where his own personal work would be featured, would be placed for auction. He stood in the buzzing crowd of rich art collectors, talent scouts, and curious buyers, watching and letting it all sink in. And Maya was standing there with him, holding his arm and grinning. She filled her soft pink, ruffled strapless dress quite nicely and looked rather happy to be at the show.<p>

"Having fun?" Zig questioned. His best friend beamed at him.

"Zig Nicolas Novak, you sir did it. You told me at the beginning of this year that you wanted Charlie to choose you to be featured in her Young Artists of Toronto show, and choose you she did!" Maya exclaimed, throwing her arms around Zig. "I knew you could do it."

"You were my muse, My." He said. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, you could've done this with a cardboard box as your muse." She laughed. He nodded.

"Thanks for being here, Maya. This collection was dedicated to you." he said.

"I know, I read the booklet they gave me when we arrived. 'And to my muse, Maya Matlin, for helping me in conquering drama, hate, love, and everything in between, and turning it into magnificent art!"' Maya exclaimed, quoting Zig and waving her arms in the air dramatically. They both laughed.

"It's all true. Have you seen how much they're going for?" Zig asked, now referring to the bids on his work.

"I know! I wish I could afford one, they're all _so_ beautiful." Maya said, pulling him over to view his work. He blushed. "The talent! The fine brush strokes! And what is that? Is that eggshell paint?" Maya bragged, talking about his paintings. She'd bought him expensive eggshell paint for Christmas, and the fact that he'd used it for a few of the paintings made her smile.

"Yes! It's extremely rare, little lady." An older man with a British accent said to Maya. "Do you know where ever he found it?"

"My muse gave it to me." Zig said, stepping in. "Zig Novak, the artist. How are you, sir?" he asked, being all proper. Maya's work was done; she'd attracted a customer. She went into the crowd to find Tristan while Zig talked with a buyer.

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><p>"Zig!" Tori exclaimed, rushing through the crowds later that night to get to her boyfriend. She'd chosen to wear a long, red strapless dress that drew attention to her, and was now having trouble running in it. "Zig, darling!"<p>

"Tori!" Zig said, hugging his girlfriend. She grinned and waved a pink piece of paper in his face.

"Guess what." She said, handing him the paper.

"What?" he asked, examining it.

"Daddy bought me that painting of the angel. The one you said was me." She giggled. His eyes widened.

"_The Only Exception" sold for ten thousand dollars to Mr. Kevin Santamaria._ Zig read.

"Your…dad…bought…my…painting…?" he stuttered. This wasn't good. This was very, very not good.

"Yes! For me to hang in my den!" She sang, kissing him on the cheek.

"Wow…great…" he said. Maya picked up on his mood.

"Hey Zig, can I see you outside?" she asked. He nodded and followed her outside into the January air.

"What's up, My?"

"Let's try, 'what's up Ziggy?' You seemed so let down." She said. He sighed and looked his best friend in the face, pushing a blond wave behind her ear. He collapsed onto the step and sighed, looking up at her.

"You picked up on that?" he asked. She gave him a "do you really need to ask that question" look.

"What's up, Ziggy? Ten grand is a lot of money." She said.

"I wanted other people to buy my work, not my friends' dad's." He said. "I wanted people to want it."

"Zig, look around you! People are having bidding wars over your art!" Maya exclaimed, sitting down on the steps next to him. He leaned on her shoulder.

"I know."

"So go get in there and enjoy it!" She said. "This is your night, Ziggy." She said, calling him by her own special nickname.

"And I owe it all to you." he agreed.

"No, you owe it to yourself." She said. He got up and helped her up, walking her back inside.

"Thanks My."

"Anytime." She promised. And he left to go meet with another buyer, intrigued by Maya's encouragement.

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><p>"Zig!" Tori yelled, running over to him. He'd been sitting on the steps of Degrassi with Maya, talking about the previous night's excitement.<p>

"And that's my cue to leave." Maya said, standing up.

"Please stay." He said, holding her ankle. She kicked lightly and he freed his grip.

"I'll see you tonight for studying." She promised, picking up her backpack and riding his skateboard down the sidewalk.

"You're taking my board?" he asked. She smiled and laughed.

"Yes!" She called before riding away. Zig sighed and turned to see Tori behind him.

"Hey Ziggy-pie." She said. He wrinkled his nose at the nickname.

"Can we go with Zig? It's a better name." he asked. She laughed at him.

"Oh Ziggy-poo, you're so funny."

"Ok." He said dully, looking at the envelope in her hand. "What's that?"

"My letter." she said. "I got into Toronto University."

"Wow! That's great!" He exclaimed, hugging her. She pulled him down into a long kiss. "I'm proud to call you my girlfriend." Zig said once she'd finally let him up.

"So I'll be at T of U." Tori said, running her hand along his stomach. "And you'll be in the states." She said.

"At Yale, yeah." Zig said.

"And you'll be with Maya…and all those other pretty girls." She said, running her hand lower than his stomach, trying to turn him on. And it was working.

"Uh huh…" He sighed.

"And…welllll…we should be together forever, don't you agree?" She asked, hissing his neck.

"Agreed." He said. Now, Zig may be one of the most promising young artists, but he's still a teenaged boy, raging with hormones. And when your attractive girlfriend puts you in that position…let's just say you don't want to ruin the moment by starting an argument.

"So…we should make a promise." She said. He nodded. "A promise…like with a ring…" She murmured, biting his earlobe. A shock of delight ran through him.

"Uh huh…"

"Maybe a marriage promise?" She asked. He kissed her.

"Sure, whatever babe." He said, unaware of what he'd just done. She shrieked in happiness, jumping up, causing him to fall over because he was leaning in to kiss her.

"Tristan! Darling, he said yes! I'm getting married!" She yelled happily, bouncing over to Tristan and out of Zig's prospect. Everyone was staring at him.

"Say what?" Zig yelled, standing up. But she was gone.

"Did I just propose?" He asked his little brother Toby, walking over to him. Toby was a niner.

"I believe you did." Toby clarified. Zig bit his lip and sighed.

"Holy shit."

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><p>"I'm glad you met me here tonight, Zig." Tori's dad said as the three sat down for dinner at a fancy restaurant.<p>

"Pleasure to be here, Mr. Santamaria, thanks for having me." Zig said. Tori, Tori's mom and Zig all watched him. Zig took a sip of his water.

"So I hear you've proposed to my only daughter." Mr. Santamaria said. Zig almost chocked on his water.

"Uh..." Zig started.

"I want to give you my blessing." He said. Zig had to do something! He had to say something! He wasn't sure that he wanted to marry Tori! "Because you will never hurt my little girl, correct Zig?"

"Never." Zig repeated, still confused.

"Good! We set a date!" he exclaimed. The restaurant burst into applause and Zig looked around nervously.

The restaurant was beautiful, five stars. Way too expensive for Zig, his alcoholic mom and Toby to afford. He'd never even looked at the place before. He felt under dressed, wearing similar clothes to the outfit from the art show.

"Great." Zig said, forcing a smile. Tori was beaming.

"Daddy, here's the ring." Tori said, pulling her left hand out from under the table. Zig's eyes nearly popped out of his head. The diamond was huge! It was magnificent, the size of a marble. A circle of rubies surrounded the diamond and a circle of sapphires surrounded the rubies.

"It's wonderful darling!" Mr. Santamaria said.

"It's a little small." Mrs. Santamaria said skeptically, shaking her head. The whole thing was practically the size of a golf ball and she was calling it small!

"You picked it out, Zig?" Mr. Santamaria asked.

"Actually," Zig started.

"Yes! He bought it for me with the art money!" Tori exclaimed.

"Zig have you ever eaten here before?" Mr. Santamaria asked, handing him a menu.

"Nope. But I do drive past it when I got to the liquor store to buy my mom more vodka. My little brother always wants to, but we can't afford it." Zig said.

"What a cute story!" Mrs. Santamaria gushed, smiling at him.

_You've got to be kidding me._ Zig thought. He hadn't bought Tori a ring, she'd bought it. And he prayed she didn't really use his money from his art show, he needed that to pay for Yale.

"Zig, you've got to try the lobster." Tori said.

"So I was thinking July 27th for the wedding. This way, you'll be married before you guys go to T of U." Mrs. Santamaria said.

"What?" Zig asked.

"Well you two will go to T of U together, right? You got accepted, correct?"

"Yes, but I'm going to Yale." He said. "In the United States."

"No, no. If you're marrying our daughter, you're going to T of U." Mr. Santamaria clarified. Zig opened his mouth, but something told him protesting was pointless.

"Right. Well, thanks for inviting me to dinner, but I must be going." Zig said, standing up. Tori blew him a kiss and he faked his best smile. He exited the restaurant and slid on his heavy winter coat, taking a deep breath of the crisp winter air. He took out his iphone and dialed the only person he could talk to. When they didn't answer, he did the only logical thing: he ran to their house.

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><p>He didn't care that he was slipping and sliding on the frozen pathway, he didn't care that a car had stopped to observe him, he didn't care that he'd fallen in the snow in his scuttle to get to the front door. He only cared that he was there and would soon feel better.<p>

Banging on the door, his mind raced. A couple of seconds felt like an eternity as he hammered on the door.

Finally, the deadbolt unlocked and the door swung open, allowing light to spill out into the crisp winter Toronto night.

"Zig?" Maya asked, looking confused. "Tonight was dinner with Tori's parents. It's why you had to cancel on me." She reminded him. He studied her skinny jeans, black flats, and striped long-sleeved t-shirt, and decided she looked rather stunning with moonlight shining on her.

"I know, and I'm sorry about that." He said. She tapped her foot and looked as though she was trying to decide whether to let him in or not. At last, she smiled a welcoming grin.

"My grandparents are here because Katie's home. We were just about to eat. Did you have dinner?" She questioned. He shook his head. "C'mon in Ziggy." She said, opening the door all the way. He smiled gratefully and entered the toasty warm foyer, closing the door behind him.

"Hang up your coat." Maya requested. He hung it up on a hanger in the coat closet and slid out of his vans, revealing his black socks.

"What's for dinner?" he asked, following Maya down the hallway to the dining room.

"Chicken."

"My favorite." He said.

"Everything I make is your favorite." She said, rolling her eyes. He nodded in agreement.

"Except for your homemade ice cream. It always has too much ice." He joked. She laughed.

"Jerk." She accused teasingly. They entered the dining room.

"Who was at the door Maya?" Mrs. Matlin asked, looking up. Zig waved.

"Hey guys." Zig said.

"Zig!" Katie cheered, jumping up and running into his arms to hug him. They hadn't seen each other in a while. While Katie hugged Zig, she mouthed the words "Oh my god, he's even cuter!" to Maya. She rolled her eyes.

"So are you two dating yet?" Katie asked, pulling away.

"We're just friends, Katie." Maya said, getting Zig a plate and a glass of water. He sat down in the seat next to her and everyone got settled in.

"Bummer, I always thought you'd be perfect for each other." Katie said, truly stumped.

"Let's get off the boyfriend talk, shall we?" Mr. Matlin asked, eyeing Maya.

"Agreed." Zig and Maya said together.

"Good!" Their father said.

"So how's University, Katie?" Zig asked. Katie smiled.

"Amazing! The classes are so great, and my teachers this semester are really cool." She said.

"That's great." Zig replied. "Is T of U nice?"

"Absolutely! But you have Yale, and Yale is SO much better." Katie informed him.

"I've decided to not go to Yale." Zig said. Everyone at the table went dead silent. The Matlins were Zig's second family. Katie was the big sister he'd never had. Mrs. Matlin made him home cooked meals to bring to him mom and gave him motherly advice. Plus she was always there to help sew on a button when it fell of a shirt or help with Trig homework. Mr. Matlin was a teacher at T of U, so he helped Zig prepare for the SATs, decide what colleges he wanted to apply to, and write the admission essays for his college apps.

"Please repeat that." Mr. Matlin questioned in his instructor tone of voice.

"I've decided to attend T of U." Zig repeated once more. Somehow, out of all the people he'd just disappointed, he was most fearful of Maya's reaction.

"Zig, you and I are taking a walk after supper." Maya told him. He stole a peak at her. She didn't look angry, but confused.

"Okay." Zig practically whispered.

"So Maya, is this your boyfriend?" Maya's grandma asked. Zig chocked on his water for the second time that day.

"No Grandma." Maya said. "Not really."

The rest of the dinner was silent and awkward for both Zig and Maya. The Matlins interacted together, however Zig and Maya just stayed quiet. Zig ate his chicken and turned down a second helping. Maya served her family and didn't oblige when she was offered help.

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><p>The second her grandpa scraped the last morsel of mashed potatoes off his plate and shoveled it into his mouth, Maya collected the dishes and disappeared into the kitchen.<p>

"Excuse me; I'm going to assist Maya in the kitchen." Zig said, standing up. Katie scoffed.

"Assist is code for rip her clothes off and kiss her." Katie informed her family. Everyone laughed and Katie sighed. "One day you people will see." She said.

Zig ignored this and walked into the kitchen, closing the doors behind him.

"Hey My," he said, coming next to her at the sink. She didn't say anything, she just kept scrubbing dished furiously. "Maya, I know you're mad." Zig said after a moment.

"Not mad. Frustrated. Disappointed. Confused. Perplexed. Distraught. Infuriated. Mystified. Baffled. Thwarted. But no, I'm not mad Zig." Maya said.

"Okay, Maya look." Zig said, taking a towel and drying dishes.

"No Zig, you look! I worked my ass off to be able to get into Yale! Do you want to know why?" She asked.

"Because you wanted to go to school there?" he guessed.

"No you stupid idiot! I wanted to go to school there with you! I don't care where I am or where we go or what we are, I just want to be with you!" Maya yelled. "Get it through that thick, skateboarder skull of yours, I've stuck by you all these years because-" Maya's mom interrupted,

"Maya dear, can we get that cherry pie out here? Grandpa is getting a bit sleepy." Maya bit her lip in frustration and sighed.

"Sure mom." She said, washing her hands and walking over to the fridge. "Just a second." Her mom rolled back into the dining room and Maya grabbed plates, forks, a pie cutter, and put it all on a tray along with the pie.

"I'll finish up here." Zig said. Maya nodded and walked into the other room. Zig picked up another dish and started scrubbing it with all his might. Tori was ruining his life! Sure, they had fun. And sure, he enjoyed having sex with her. But he wasn't sure he loved her. He wasn't sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the girl from eighth grade biology class. He deserved Yale! And he wanted to go there with Maya! He'd worked his ass off trying to break even for six years, ever since his dad died. He'd been saving tips from his job at the Dot in a jar labeled **college fund**. And art was where his passion was! He was good at it, and he'd made almost twenty thousand dollars at his show! That was a fanatical amount of money! Of course half of it was Tori's dad's…and that was another thing! Tori's dad spoiled her rotten! She would never be able to live in a studio apartment or in a cellar or in an attic. He'd been moving from filthy apartment to filthy apartment for six years, he was able to handle a little grime. Tori was a princess with butlers and maids and drivers and cooks! She lived in a mansion! He would never be able to satisfy her with the salary he intended on making!

"I'm back." Maya said, breaking his thought. He was forever grateful.

"Dishes are done." Zig said, stacking them in their set cabinets where they belonged.

"Great. So how about that walk?" Maya asked. He nodded and they both walked through the living room to get to the foyer. Maya's family was eating pie in the living room and all eyes were on Maya and Zig as they entered the room.

"We're going for a walk." Maya informed her mother. Her family dismissed them and they walked through the room and into the foyer. Zig and Maya both dressed in their winter clothes, and Zig tied his sneakers. Maya slipped on her coat and her knit cap and was ready to go.

"We'll be back!" She called before they exited the toasty warm house and walked out into the bitter Friday night.

"I wish she would just kiss him already." Katie said once Zig and Maya were no longer around.

"Katherine!" Mrs. Matlin scolded.

"Katie, you'll jinx it." Mr. Matlin warned. She rolled her eyes.

"Watching them be "just friends" for four years is like stabbing myself in the eye with pins." Katie said. "Watching them pretend not to be infatuated with the other…it's heartbreaking. They belong together." Katie explained.

"I know, Katie. I know." Mrs. Matlin replied.

*Meanwhile*

"So explain to me why you're ruining your life." Maya said as they walked down the sidewalk. Zig sighed. She was making this so hard.

"Maya, you know that I'm not good with words." He started. She shook her head. "And?"

"I'm going to try and explain this the best I can." He promised. She nodded and he continued. "Do you remember today at lunch when we were hanging out on the steps? And Tori came over, so you left?" He asked.

"Sure." Maya said, linking his arm with hers.

"Well…Tori told me that she got into T of U. And she said something about how we're going to Yale together, and she wanted a promise. Point is, I wasn't really listening to her because she was seducing me." He said.

"Zig, c'mon I don't wanna hear about that." Maya cut in. He smirked and continued.

"Anyway, I wasn't listening to her and somehow or another, she asked me to marry her. And I said 'Sure, whatever babe'. And then Toby told me that I'd proposed, and Tori ran off yelling 'I'm getting married!"' Zig said. Maya wasn't surprised.

"Go on." Maya encouraged. Zig sighed and continued.

"Then at dinner, I tried to speak up and say it was all a big misunderstanding, but then Tori started talking about the wedding and her father gave me this speech about never hurting his little girl…I didn't know what else to do, so I went along with it. And then he told me that I can't go to Yale if I marry Tori." He said, slumping against a tree. "He's changing my whole future because of one tiny misunderstanding! I'm so angry! I just don't know what to do." Zig said, throwing his hands in the air angrily. The crisp winter air bit at his nose. Tiny snowflakes danced down to the earth, twirling and swirling in the slight breeze. Zig wished he was a snowflake; able to just float and fly and dance and be different from everyone and everything else.

"You're over reacting." His best friend and muse, Maya Matlin reasoned as they walked down the sidewalk that was brushed in snow.

"She picked out a ring, My." He informed her. She stopped and looked at him. He noticed the pain in her face…why was she so sad?

"Wow…I never thought this would happen." Maya said. He raised an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked. Maya turned away, hiding her face from him.

"I just…I never thought that you'd end up with her, Zig." She said, tears now running down her face.

"Maya…what's going on?" Zig asked, turning to face her. He saw her tears and wiped them away.

"Nothing…I'm fine." She said.

"Maya, I know you. You're not fine." He said.

"I just always thought that we'd have a shot." She said. His eyes widened.

"Wait…what?" he asked. She groaned.

"Forget it."

"Did you just say that you…liked me?" he asked, still shocked by the news.

"No! No, it's okay." She said.

"No, you wanted to be with me." he said.

"Forget it, Zig. It's over. You're engaged." Maya said. "Look, I've got to go. See you in the morning? You're driving me to school?" She asked.

"Sure. But wait, let's talk about this." He said.

"Nothing to talk about! Bye Ziggy!" Maya called, walking away. He watched her go, tears coming to his eyes.

Maya Matlin loved him. She loved him. She wanted him. What was he doing? Every nerve in his body was on fire, telling him to run after her! She was the one! He'd painted "the only exception" about her, not Tori! He loved her!

But he didn't follow her. No, instead he ran the other way. Because he was marrying Tori whether he liked it or not and he couldn't back down.

He was unaware that Maya cried the rest of the way home.

**a/n: what did you think? please review and tell me, I love this story and want your opinions, they really mean a lot to me. As always, thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys and gals! So here is chapter 2 of How It's Always Been. Note, I named this story after the song How It's Always Been by my all-time favorite band Before You Exit! I love them! Okay, moving on from my outburst. I've decided to make this story a bit longer, though it'll probably be no longer than four chapters :) Alright, sorry this is long, but I hope you like it. **

**Shoutout to ECgreengurl17:  
>Thanks for reviewing, reading, and adding me to your alerts! It means so much :) And I'm glad you like my other story, I love that one. I'm working on the next chapter now, and will upload tomorrow! Thanks again for being totally awesome lol!<strong>

**I don't own degrassi, Zig, Maya or ZAYA...however I worked hard on this story line. Please don't copy my ideas, I will make no money off of this story.**

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><p><span>*One month later*<span>

"Tori, it's fine." Maya said, watching her friend twirl around in front of the huge mirror in the bridal store. Tori had moved the wedding up to March 21st.

"Maya! It has to be the One! Is this the One Tristan?" Tori asked her other bridesmaid. Yes, Tristan was the maid of honor and Maya was a bridesmaid.

"Honey, get the strapless one. Show off what your mama gave you!" Tristan said, downing his glass of champagne. Maya just watched, drinking her water and keeping up her poker face. The truth was that she hated Tori for ruining Zig's life. She hated Tori for taking her best friend away from her. She hated Tori for taking the man she loved. But she couldn't show it. No, she had to keep up her act for Zig's sake.

"I like the one you're wearing." Maya commented, motioning toward the halter top mermaid dress that Tori was modeling.

"Mmm…Maya, come here." Tori said, pulling a dress off a hanger. "Put this on." She demanded, handing the elegant wedding gown to Maya.

"Why?" Maya asked, a bit frustrated.

"Because I want to see it on you. I'll be loosing a few pounds before the wedding and will be your weight, so I must see how it looks on you." Tori replied. Maya reluctantly took the dress and went into the back to slip it on. She did, and came back out to stand before Tori.

"Maya!" Tristan and Tori gasped. "You look stunning!"

"Really?" She asked. Tori turned her so she was looking in the mirror. And she'd been right. Maya did look stunning…it was her dream dress. It was the dress that's she'd been dreaming about since she'd met Zig…Maya had pictured this dress whenever she thought about the idea of marrying Zig after Yale.

"It's totally the one!" Tori exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"Agreed." Tristan said. Tori unzipped Maya.

"Take it off and help me carry it to the front." Tori instructed, pulling back on her mini skirt and tank top.

"Why?" Maya asked. Tori laughed.

"Because I'm buying it, stupid."

"Oh." Maya said, sliding out of the dress. She pulled her skinny jeans and shirt on, hanging the dress on the hanger and zipping it into its bag. "It's really beautiful." Maya said longingly. Tori grinned and placed it in Tristan's arms.

"Tris, be a love and carry that to the front for me. Maya, I'll give you a minute to gather my belongings. Meet me in the front." Tori said. Maya rolled her eyes and stepped back up onto the platform in front of the mirror. She curiously selected a veil off the rack and placed it onto her own head. She adjusted the crown and the long, white material fell down past her shoulders. She smiled and twirled, laughing at herself.

"I now pronounce you Mrs. Zig Novak!" She said, twirling around dramatically. "Mrs. Maya Novak! Zig and Maya Novak. The Novaks! Maya and Zig Novak! Mr and Mrs Zig Novak!" She sang, feeling freer with every name she said.

Looking at her face in the mirror, she sighed.

"Forget it, Maya." She said, placing the veil back on the rack and smoothing her hair. "He doesn't love you. It's time to let go."

Maya was unaware that Zig had been watching through the window. He'd been on his way to the Dot, when he'd heard his name. He'd looked through the window to find none other than Maya twirling and looking beautiful. And she was very unaware that he'd heard all the "Mrs. Zig Novak's" she'd just said.

Maya gathered Tori's things and walked out of the dressing room and into the main showroom. Tori was looking through her thick leather wallet.

"Mmm…Maya? Should I go with Visa, Capitol One or Amex?" She asked, waving her wallet in the air.

"Whichever one you want." Maya said, dumping Tori's things onto a chair. "I've got to go." She said, opening the door and exiting the small bridal shop before Tori could respond.

The crisp February air was cool on her face as she walked along the streets of Downtown. Headed toward the Dot, Maya was unaware of the man stalking her down the somewhat busy street. Yes, Zig was following Maya.

"Why the hell are you following me?" Maya asked, turning around once she was right in front of the Dot. Zig was shocked and held his hands up in surrender.

"Zig?" Maya asked, looking at him.

"I was coming to get a coffee." He said, gesturing toward the Dot. She sighed.

"Me too. Care to join me, Mr. Novak?" She asked. He smiled.

"I would Mrs. Novak." He said without thinking. Maya's face went blank.

"What?" She asked. She hadn't quite heard him…

"I said Ms. Matlin." He saved himself, biting his lip. She smiled and held the door for him. "Maya, I got it." He said, rolling his eyes and holding the door for her.

Once inside, they sat down at their favorite table in the corner and each ordered their choice of coffee. Maya pulled out her ipad, claiming she had to check her bid on an anteic cello and Zig pulled out a spiral notebook. Their coffee soon came.

"So," Maya asked, eyeing what Zig was working on. "is that a sketch?" She asked.

"I wish." He scoffed. "No, I'm attempting writing my vows." He said in a more serious tone. Maya kept her poker face perfect; she wasn't cracking now.

"Oh cool." She said, very blandly. She'd always wanted to write her own vows.

"You know Tori better than I do…help me." he asked, more like pleaded really. She didn't know if she could handle this…it might be too much.

"Sure, I'd love to help." She lied. He grinned.

"Thanks My."

"So what do you have so far?" She asked.

"Dearest Tori." He read. She raised an eyebrow.

"Good start." She said. "What else."

"Uh…nothing." He said. Maya laughed.

"Oh Ziggy, that's horrible!" She giggled. He rolled his eyes.

"C'mon Maya, help me Yale girl." He asked. Her laughter broke and she nodded.

"What do you want to say?"

"I don't know…maybe some song lyrics?" he asked.

"Zig, this isn't a joke. She'll kill you." Maya said, dead serious. He sighed.

"I guess about how much I love her." He lied.

"Tell her," Maya said, thinking hard. She decided to go off of the only real love she'd ever had: her love for Zig. "tell her that you can't imagine life without her. Tell her that it's the simple things, like having her over for dinner. And how one of her smiles can make you get butterflies inside your stomach. Tell her that they way she flips her hair out of her eyes drives you crazy, but its grown on you. Tell her that her eyes are a window into her soul and they define her and who she is. Tell her that you love those eyes. Tell her that she's unlike anyone you've ever met, so calm and cool and unique. And that she takes your breath away every time she smiles, because her smile gets you through. Tell her that she knows you better than anyone else in the world and that you want her more than anything. Tell her that the moment you laid eyes on her, you knew that she was the one you'd been searching for. Tell her about how she makes you laugh and smile like an idiot. Most of all, tell her that you've loved her forever, and probably always will." Maya said, staring deeply into Zig's eyes. Something told him that all that stuff wasn't about Tori and him.

"Maya…that was beautiful." He said. She shrugged.

"Thanks."

"No really Maya, it's wonderful. I loved it." He said, taking her hand and giving her his best grin.

"No problem, happy to help." She said. "I got the save-the-date." She told him, taking it out of her purse. "I'm coming." She said, trying to joke around. He was just staring at her, his face blank.

"Great." He said, trying to smile.

"So I've got to get going…I'll see you later." She said, placing a ten dollar bill on the table. "Bye Zig!" she called, walking out of the Dot.

"Bye Mrs. Novak." He whispered to himself. Did Maya really feel that way about him?

* * *

><p>*At Maya's house, one month later*<p>

*Maya POV*

I sucked in my stomach, but I still looked too fat.

"Damn it!" I yelled, flopping down onto my bed. I'd gained seven pounds! Seven! I was a hundred and fourteen pounds!

"Relax Maya, you look great." Katie said as she lounged on my bed, flipping through a magazine.

"Katie, this is my best friend's wedding. I have to look good." I said. She rolled her eyes.

"I can't believe he's marrying that little bitch." Katie said.

"Katie, please!" I scolded. She sighed heavily and looked at me.

"Maya, he belongs with you!"

"You think I don't know that?" I asked. "Katie, I've been there for four years, seeing him through everything! He's protected me and stood up for me all these years! We're perfect together, but he doesn't see it. He just doesn't see it." I said. Katie took my dress out of the closet and fingered the soft, silky material. The dress was strapless, aqua blue and had a ruffled skirt falling from the waist to the knees. It looked great on me, but I hated what I had to wear it for.

"Speak now." She said, looking at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Speak now or forever hold your peace!" She said, jumping up.

"What about it?" I asked.

"Maya! Tell him how you feel! Speak at the ceremony!"

"You mean ruin her wedding?" I asked.

"That too!" she said, smiling. "Look, I know you Maya. And I know Zig pretty well too. And I know that you two will be way happier together." Katie said.

"It's not that easy." I said. "Please leave me alone, I need to sleep." She sighed.

"Fine, I'm going. But let me leave you with this." She said, putting my dress away and looking at me straight in the face. "If it were the other way around and you were marrying someone else, Zig wouldn't think twice about barging into that church and sweeping you off your feet." Katie said. And then she left, leaving me alone in my room to think.

And as I tried to fall asleep, all I could think about was Zig. I tossed and turned, but couldn't get to sleep. Finally, I got up and looked at my clock to see it was only ten thirty at night.

My phone rang, startling me.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Maya! It's Zig. I need a favor," he started.

* * *

><p>*No one POV*<p>

Maya walked to her front door, her phone still in her hand. She pulled open the door to find Zig standing outside with a sleeping bag and a suitcase.

"Zig?" She asked, opening the screen door to allow him entrance.

"Maya," he said, coming into the foyer. Maya locked the front door again and turned to him. "Can I stay over? Tori won't let me stay at the apartment. Something about bad luck and traditions."

"Sure." She said without thinking. She had had Zig sleep over many times before and realized this would be the last. "Be quiet though, you'll wake my mom and dad." Maya warned. He nodded and they crept up the stairs, and into her room. She closed the door.

"I'm really nervous." He said, pacing. She flopped down onto her bed.

"So am I." She admitted.

"Why?" he asked, changing into his sweatpants and t-shirt.

"I'm worried about the future." She said, trying to be vague.

"How so?" he asked, lying down on the floor. She eyed him.

"Oh get up here; I know you're dying to." She said. He smiled and climbed into her queen sized bed, snuggling down under the covers. She tried to stay away from him, but it was hard. Really hard.

"You're being so nice to me." he joked. She laughed and rolled over after she turned off the light.

"I'm sad because I'm gonna miss you." she replied, tears filling her eyes.

"Maya, your opinion matters even more to me than mine does. Do you think I should marry Tori?" he asked. She cuddled up with her best friend. Zig wrapped his arms around her and they laid there in the dark, hugging each other. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat.

"I think that if you love her and you're happy, you need to do whatever's right." She said.

"I just…I'll miss you." he said, his voice cracking. He hugged her closer.

"Hey now, I'll see you at Christmas." Maya said. He sighed.

"Oh Maya, I don't know what I'm gonna do without you." he said.

"You'll have your wife." I said. "I'm replaced."

"Maya, you could never be replaced." He assured her.

"I hope not." She said. And that was the last thing she'd heard before she'd fallen asleep in her best friend's arms.

* * *

><p>Beep. Beep. Beep. Maya's alarm broke her sweet dream, which was a shame really. It had been such a nice dream…<p>

"_Speak now or forever hold your peace!" The preast yelled. Tori grinned smugly at the people seated at her wedding. Zig stood there nervously, eyeing Maya. She stood up with her guitar and started singing._

"_I am not the kind of girl, _

_who should go rudely bardging in on a white veil occasion. _

_But you are not the kind of boy, _

_who should be marrying the wrong girl. _

_I sneak in and see your friends. _

_And her snotty little family_

_All dressed in pastel_

_And she is yelling at a bridesmaid_

_Somewhere back inside a room wearing a gown shaped like a pastry_

_This is surely not what you thought it would be_

_And I loose myself in a daydream_

_Where I stand and say:_

_Don't say yes, run away now_

_I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door_

_Don't wait, or say a single vow_

_You need to hear me out_

_And they said speak now_

_Fun gestures are exchanged._

_And the organ starts to play a song that sounds like a death march_

_And I am hiding in the curtains_

_It seems that I was uninvited by your lovely bride to be_

_She floats down the aisle like a pageant queen_

_But I know that you wish it was me_

_Don't say yes, run away now_

_I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the backdoor_

_Don't wait, or say a single vow_

_You need to hear me out _

_And they said speak now_

_Don't say yes, run away now_

_I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the backdoor_

_Don't wait, or say a single vow_

_Your time is running out_

_And they said speak now_

_I hear the preacher say speak now or forever hold your peace_

_There's the silence, there's my last chance_

_I stand up with shaking hands _

_All eyes on me_

_Horrified looks from everyone in the room but I'm only looking at you._

_I am not the kind of girl, who should be rudely bardging in on a white veil occasion_

_But you are not the kind of boy,_

_Who should be marrying the wrong girl._

_So don't say yes, run away now._

_I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door_

_Don't wait, or say a single vow_

_You need to hear me out, I said Speak Now_

_And you say, let's run away now_

_I'll meet you when I'm out of my tux at the back door_

_Baby, I didn't say my vows_

_So glad you were around when they said speak now." Maya sang. Everyone was staring, Tori was fuming. _

"_Zig, please don't marry her. I love you." Maya said, placing her guitar down and walking up to Zig._

"_Maya, I love you too." He said. And he kissed her. And they held hands and ran out of the church together, never looking back._

* * *

><p>Beep. Beep. Beep. Maya's alarm went off again, awakening her from her wonderful dream. She opened her eyes and noticed that she was sleeping in someone's arms. She looked up to see her best friend just waking up.<p>

"Maya!" he smiled. "This is a nice surprise. I could get used to this." He joked.

"Zig, you're getting married today." Maya said, sitting up and breaking his grip on her. He frowned.

"Oh yeah," he said, frowning. He didn't want this!

"Better get ready, otherwise Tori will kill you." Maya warned, getting out of bed.

"Couldn't have that, now could we?" he muttered sarcastically.

* * *

><p>Maya went to shower as did Zig. Maya walked into her bathroom and closed the door. She looked into the mirror and saw her own reflection. At that moment she knew she'd never be the same girl again. Sure, she still had light, blond waves that fell past her shoulders and bright, aqua blue eyes and pink lips and fare skin. Sure, she was still five foot seven six and skinny and 114 pounds. But she was so different. Maya had lost who she was. All her life, she'd been Katie's sister and nothing more. People knew her as "Little Katie". No one knew Maya. But then she got to Degrassi and met Zig, and he defined her. He helped her be herself and realize who she was. Zig defined her in the same way the sky was blue and birds could fly; they just fit and worked together. For the first time in her life, she'd been someone more than Katie's sister. She'd been Maya Matlin. And now that that was being ripped away from her, she was back to being no one again.<p>

* * *

><p>Zig walked into the bathroom Maya had told him to use and closed the door. He stood in front of the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. He was still good old Zig…right? He wasn't making a mistake…he would work things out…this was what he wanted…right? Wrong. Zig Novak used to be that cool guy. In middle school, he was the cool guy who all the girls liked. He was the mysterious skateboarder who everyone loved. But Zig didn't love himself. No, he hated himself. His father was the only one who appreciated him (next to his little brother) and his father had died. Now his mother was an alcoholic and he was abusing himself. Cutting, burning, drug abuse…he tried it all, but nothing filled the hole in his heart. Then, he ran into that lost, confused girl in the hallway, and she filled that hole. Maya Matlin filled the holes in his heart and healed his broken soul. She saved him from the suffering and the pain and the drugs and his lukewarm heart. She'd walked in when the rest of the world had walked out. And now he was pushing her out against his will.<p>

* * *

><p>"Maya, hurry up! I need to get ready for this wedding too!" Katie yelled, banging on the door. Maya zipped up her dress and looked in the mirror. She'd decided to wear her hair in simple waves, as usual. She rolled her eyes and opened the bathroom door, allowing her sister entrance.<p>

"So I saw you and Zig this morning before you woke up." Katie said. Maya almost fell over.

"What?" She asked.

"Maya, you two were all snuggled up all cozy under the covers." Katie informed her. Maya already knew this.

"You don't say?" Maya asked sarcastically. Katie rolled her eyes and started the water in the shower.

"He's in your room." She said. "Out." Katie pointed toward the open door and Maya left, it slamming shut behind her.

She entered her room to find Zig looking through her scrapbook.

"Zig?" Maya asked. Zig stood up and smiled when he saw Maya. Maya grinned at Zig.

"You look incredible." They said in unison, followed by laughter.

"Maya, you're stunning! Truly marvelous." He told her. She blushed.

"And what about you? You're so handsome in your tux." She said. he smiled coyly.

"Oh please, Tori took me to get this thing fitted." He said. "I hate this monkey suit."

"Well you look handsome." She said. He held up his bowtie.

"Will you do the honors?" He joked. She rolled her eyes. This-being with Zig-was so easy, she never wanted this to end.

"Of course." She replied, tying it around his neck. "So what were you looking at before I came in?" She asked, glancing at the scrapbooks her mother had made. Every year, her mother went through all of Maya's pictures and made a scrapbook for her. She loved craft projects.

"Your many scrapbooks." He replied. "There are a lot of pictures of us."

"We've done a lot together." She returned.

"I liked the one of us by the statue of liberty." He reminisced, sitting down on the bed to put his shoes on. "I was hugging you because you were cold."

"I remember that!" Maya laughed. "I'd forgotten my jacket."

"And the ones of us at Columbia and NYU." He told her. "You were wearing my clothes."

"Yes, my luggage had gotten lost." She giggled, remembering their summer trip to New York. They had gone, just the two of them, to look at schools.

"And you wore my skinny jeans."

"And your sweatshirt!" Maya remembered, laughing. It had been truly a trip to remember.

"I think the best trip we've ever been on was the trip to Massachusetts." Zig informed Maya.

"I remember we walked into Yale, took one look at each other, and knew that was the school we wanted."

"And I'd worked so hard, trying to come up with the money." Zig whispered. He looked into Maya's eyes, her electric aqua blue meeting his emerald green. For a second, he traveled back into time. His hair seemed to grow a little longer and her face seemed to become nieve and young again. Her stunning dress turned to a hideous yellow polo as did his tux. He watched her turn, her felt himself bump into her, he heard those words, "Quick pretend to be my girlfriend!" "I called you five times last night! You were with Bethany weren't you? You scoundrel!" Maya had said. He felt himself go on a journey, moving on to their meeting at the Dot, her talking to him about Tori…every memory they'd ever shared flashed before his eyes, he relived it all. All of the laughter, the hugs, the smiles. And all of the heartache they'd helped each other through. He flashed back to last summer, the time when all the pressure of his mother's addiction caught up with him and he'd started cutting again. Maya had walked in on him cutting his shoulder and snatched the knife away. She'd held him while he cried and he told her everything that went with his mother's addictions and his father's death. And she listened and promised that she'd help him make it all okay. And she did. He felt his soul begin to feel as light as it did in New York City, walking the crowded streets with Maya. He remembered the first day of their senior year, when Maya had slept over to help get Toby ready in the morning. He remembered studying for exams and how she'd helped him pass trig, tutoring him for hours and hours every week until he passed the class. He remembered the time when his mother was so drunk, she lit the house on fire and how Maya was there even before the firemen. Most of all, he remembered all the times he'd seen her smile, laugh uncontrollably. He looked back on everything they'd shared, everything they'd helped the other overcome, everything they'd grown into with the help of the other. He remembered how stunning she'd looked on the night of his art gallery and how she'd picked up on his overwhelmed mood when no one else did. He remembered the look of true despair, true heartbreak when he'd told her he was marrying Tori. And the best of all, he remembered the feeling of joy when he'd woken up that morning, holding Maya in his arms. That was how he wanted to wake up every morning.

"Zig?" Maya asked, breaking his thought. He stared into her eyes, and for a moment, he felt his heart stop. It was now or never, literally. He was overwhelmed, his head was spinning, his heart, though it felt still, was racing in his chest. He couldn't speak; he'd momentarily forgotten how to form sentences. Her eyes were questioning, concerned, yet loving…His lips found hers. He pulled her into his arms and took that risk he'd been trying to get the courage to take for four long years. For a moment, she didn't kiss him back. Her lips were stiff, yet incredibly soft, and he was worried that he'd been extremely wrong and that she hadn't liked him. Her arms stayed in the air, hovering around his sides. He was just about to pull away in defeat when her hands were tangled in his dark locks, her lips moving in perfect sync with his. Encouraged by her action, he kept kissing her, pulling her into his lap. She wrapped her leg around his, and moved one hand to the small of his back. He was kissing Maya! He was making out with his best friend on her bed the day of his wedding…he was cheating. And yet, it didn't phase him. He laid down, rolling over so she was lying in his arms. Every nerve in his body was a live wire. And yet, she pulled away.

"Zig…Tori…oh god…" she whispered, pulling away and sitting up. He stared up at her, adrenalin still pumping through his body.

"Maya, let me apologize…" he started, but she stood up, her bare feet moving slowly backward on the pink carpet.

"No, I can't do this to Tori…" She said.

"Maya, please!" He started. She shook her head and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She sunk down against it as the tears started to make their way down her face. What had she just done? Had she really just kissed Zig? She'd dreamed about kissing him so many times, she'd been in love with him forever…she shouldn't feel so bad about going for what she wanted. What was she thinking? Of course she should feel bad! She just kissed Tori's husband-to-be! She could've ruined their wedding and her friendship with Zig! The thought of loosing Zig caught up with her at that moment. She'd feared it in the back of her mind for months now, ever since he and Tori gotten engaged. And now it finally dawned on her that Zig belonged to Tori now. He was no longer the only person she truly trusted, cared about, loved…she was stealing him from her.

On the other side of that door, Zig was slumped against it too. He wasn't crying though. No, he'd taken a small nail file out of Maya's makeup case, and was holding it in his shaking hand. His grip on it was too stiff, his knuckles were white. He was having those dark thoughts again…the voice had reentered his head…_C'mon Zig, it'll help. You need it. C'mon Zig, you're weak, it'll make you stronger_…the voice taunted. He turned it over, examining the sharp edge. He couldn't go down that dark path again, he wouldn't let himself. But he needed it so bad. He couldn't think; his conscious had been overtaken by that dark, manipulating voice. He rolled up his suit jacket and shirt, pressing the blade to his skin. He pushed down on it, and it made a sharp cut, ripping his flesh. He dragged it, tears coming to his eyes. With every millimeter, stress and anxiety released from his body. He pulled it out after the slice was a few inches long. He took a deep breath and realized how bad his hands were shaking. _See Zig, isn't that better?_ The voice asked. He threw the blade across the room and grabbed his arm, wiping away the blood so that it wouldn't drip on his tux.

"You don't own me, not anymore." he whispered to the voice. He stopped the bleeding with a tissue from a box on the nightstand. He couldn't let himself go down that dark path again, he had to stay strong. He couldn't break, not now. But how was he supposed to stay strong when his life was being ripped away from him against his will?

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, Maya came inside her room, leaving the door open. Zig was studying his arm, sitting on her bed. She didn't think much of it, but something caught her eye. She saw a bloody tissue on the floor at his feet.<p>

"Zig?" She whispered, trying to see his arm. He rolled his sleeve down quickly and scooped up the tissue.

"Nosebleed." He said. She could tell he was lying, but didn't want to get into it with him.

"Okay." She said. Maya didn't pry into his mood for once, and it bothered him more than you'd think. It actually hurt his feelings.

"Maya, I'm sorry." He said. She sat down at her vanity and slipped into her white heels.

"It wasn't just you, Zig. It was me too. I encouraged it." She said, buckling her heels and standing up. He didn't respond because Katie came into the room sporting a light purple, strapless dress that fit her curves beautifully, and interrupted.

"Zig, Tori just called. She wants me to tell you two to get to the church."

"The wedding starts in an hour." Maya gasped, looking at her clock. Zig just stared down at his shoes.

"Maya, Zig, let's go." Drew said, walking into the room. Katie threw her arms around him. He picked her up and spun her around.

"Drew! You're here!" She said. Drew didn't go to T of U, he went to Ohio state in the U.S.

"Of course I am. Baby, I've missed you." he whispered in her ear. She kissed him deeply and Zig and Maya became uncomfortable. Zig took the opportunity to slip the nail file into his pocket, just in case.

"We've got to get going." Maya said, pulling her iphone off the charger and slipping it into her clutch. Zig agreed and the four of them walked downstairs.

"Oh honey, you look great!" Mrs. Matlin said, rolling into the foyer. "It's like prom."

"No, because Zig was my prom date." Maya said. She made no move to hide the pain in her voice. They'd gone to prom as friends because Tori took Tristan.

"Well, Katie you look great too." Mrs. Matlin said.

"Maya looks better." Katie countered. She sighed.

"Oh girls, let me get a picture." She said.

"No thanks mom, I don't want to remember this day." Maya said, walking outside. Drew and Katie exchanged a look and Zig followed them outside.

"Zig?" Mrs. Matlin called after him. He turned to her.

"Yes?"

"You've been like a son to me, so I feel I need to say this." She said. "I want you to be happy, but I don't know if you are with this Tori girl…are you sure about this?" She asked. "I've seen the way you look at my daughter."

"Mrs. Matlin, you've come to be a mom to me also. And you're right, I do love your daughter. But some loves are better left alone. It would kill Tori." Zig said.

"It's funny…I guess you don't see Maya dying inside then." She said. "I'll see you at the ceremony." And then she rolled away down the hall. He took one last look at the Matlin house, the place where he'd spent most of his free time, and felt a pang of regret. But all he did was close the front door and walk down the front porch, and to the car that was idling in the driveway. He took a seat next to Maya in the back; however he didn't look at his best friend. He just kept his eyes focused on the snowy world outside, watching as a light flurry spun around him. He was so lost now, he didn't even know what he wanted.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know, this was a bit dark. However, I feel that I needed to make it deep and very emotional to really understand how much this marriage was hurting both Zig and Maya. Anyway, please review. I love to hear from you! :) Continue being awesome! Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry about the wait, here's the next chapter! Excuses are lame, I know, but I've been really busy with music and working on my novel as well as a memoir I want to publish. Anyway, on with the story! :)**

**I don't own Degrassi...or do I? No, I don't sadly. **

*****Please read my after note when you finish, it's kinda important! :) Happy reading.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Drew pulled his car up next to the curb in front of the church.

"We're going to drop you two off here, we'll be inside soon." Katie said. Maya nodded climbed out. Zig followed.

"Maya!" He called. She kept walking up the steps. "Maya Kristen Matlin!" He called after her, and she froze at the mention of her full name.

"What?" She asked, turning to him.

"Maya, don't hate me." he pleaded. She sighed and walked back over to him.

"I could never hate you, Ziggy." She said. He smiled gratefully.

"Thank you." he said. She linked arms with him and they made their way into the church.

"Maya! Zig! Thank god in heaven you're here!" Tristan sighed, coming over to them. "Zig, go down the hall to your left. There's a room marked Novak. Go inside, all the groomsmen are waiting for you." He instructed Zig.

"Alright, I just need one second." He said to Tristan.

"You have thirty seconds." Tristan said harshly, walking away. Maya stared into her best friend's eyes.

"Zig-" She started, but her cut her off.

"Maya, I'm freaking out." he confided. Maya put her hands on his shoulders and looked up into his eyes. She could see the lines of worry on his forehead, and the anxiety in his eyes. She took a deep breath and gave him a soft smile.

"Zig, you go into that room, you get ready, and you go out there and marry the girl you love." Maya said. She pulled him into her arms and wrapped him up in one final hug. His arms were strong on her back, pulling them together. She fixed his hair, then turned and he watched her go.

"But the girl I love is right here." He whispered. But she was already gone.

And there was the voice again. _You're weak Zig…go into the bathroom and cut…it'll make this all okay…_So he did.

* * *

><p>"Maya! Thank god, I thought you blew me off!" Tori yelled as Maya entered the room. She closed the door behind her and saw Tori wearing the dress. Her dress.<p>

"Tori, you look great. I'd never blow you off." She assured her supposed friend. Marisol was wearing the same dress as Maya, and Tristan was wearing a suit the same aqua blue.

"We all look so perfect!" Tori squealed. Maya smiled as her clutch started vibrating.

"It's my phone, I'll be back." She said, stepping outside.

"Maya Matlin?" asked a familiar voice.

"Yes?"

"I'm Harry Santamaria, Tori's older brother." He said. His low, raspy baritone voice sounded worried and anxious.

"What's going on?" Maya asked.

"We can't find Zig…and I thought maybe you knew where he was. He said he needed a minute to breathe, then took off."

"I'm sorry I…" Maya started, but then she trailed off. Something told her she knew exactly where he was. "I'll find him." She assured him.

"Good. And hurry."

"Okay." She said before hanging up. She didn't care about Tori on the other side of the door; she just raced through the church, looking for Zig. Fear had exploded in her heart and mind, unaware of where he was. _No, dear god, don't let him!_ Her mind screamed. She knew him better than anyone and she knew that he had his own way of dealing with stress. She raced through crowds of people who were gathered, waiting to enter the sanctuary. She went down the hallway Tristan had described and made a beeline for the men's bathroom, not caring who saw her. She burst through the door and slammed it behind her. Her nervous, shaking hands found the deadbolt and twisted it until it clicked, locking out the outside world. She threw her clutch down on the sink and looked under the stalls for Zig's feet which were covered with Italian leather shoes Tori had bought him. She didn't see them, but she knew he was in there, one of the doors were locked.

"Zig?" She whispered, knocking on the door lightly. She heard raged breathing and looked down to see a bloody tissue drop to the ground. Her fears were true.

"Zig Nicolas Novak," she started in a calm voice. "This is your best friend. This is the girl who had helped you with this before. You open this door and come out right now." She said. He didn't respond. She slipped out of her heels.

"Fine, I can play games too." She said. She noted that he was in the handicapped stall, and got down on her hands and knees on the floor. She laid down on her stomach and crawled under the door, just fitting. She sat up once on the other side to find Zig sitting on the closed toilet seat, his legs crossed, looking scared. She just watched the nail file in his shaking hand. Her nail file.

"Oh my god." She whispered. He looked at her, his green eyes dull.

"Maya," he started. But then the tears came. And once they came, he couldn't hold them back. She pulled him down to the floor and he sat between her legs, crying into her chest. He sobbed heavily, his shoulders thrashing up and down violently. She stroked his back with one hand and gripped his head with the other.

"Zig, why did you do it?" She whispered into his ear.

"Do you love me?" he begged, looking up into her eyes. All the color had drained from his face.

"What?" she gasped, her voice barely a whisper.

"Maya, you were yelling at me that night I came to dinner and told you I wasn't going to Yale. You said you'd stuck by me for all these years for a reason, but didn't tell me why." He said. Maya stared at him. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Here she was clutching the man she loved in her arms after witnessing him abuse himself, sitting on a bathroom floor. She could tell him to do what his heart said, she could tell him that he had Tori and she'd help him through whatever this was, she could tell him that he needed to marry Tori. But he was so broken. She'd wanted this for years, and now it was in sight. There were only five words standing between her and him. Five words that would break Tori's heart. She wanted him, he wanted her. But it was more than desire, more than longing. It was the need for each other. They needed each other to be alive. That was it, really. She was lost without him, as was he without her. And the proof was the scars on his arm and the tears behind her eyes.

"Yes Zig, I love you." She told him. She'd waited so long to hear her voice say those five words out loud. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Zig moved his lips to hers. He kissed her, his lips moving in perfect harmony with hers. She kissed him with every ounce of passion in her body, throwing herself at him really. However, he didn't mind, because in a way, he threw himself at her. They sat there on the cold linoleum floor of a church, kissing. After a moment, Maya came up for air. She stared into his eyes. They seemed to be brighter than they'd been a moment ago, ignited in happiness maybe. She just stared, wondering what the hell she was doing.

"Give me the nail file, Zig." She said calmly. He gave her a puzzled look.

"Why?" he questioned, pressing it into her hand. She winced in the mental pain Zig's blood coating her hand gave her. She stood up, brushed off her dress with her decent hand, and opened the door. He stood up to, studying her. He watched her exit the stall, wash her bloody hands, and place the now clean nail file into her clutch.

"Maya, is everything alright?" Zig asked, worry filling his smooth tenor.

"I can't do this Zig. I want to more than anything, believe me I do, but I just can't. I'm so sorry." She said. Her best friend stared at her, that same look of despair in his eyes again. She slipped on her heels and took her clutch, exiting the bathroom without another word. She couldn't bring herself to look at his face again. She just needed air, she just wanted to clear her head. But she didn't have that. No, in the hallway she didn't find peace, but Tristan and Marisol waiting for her. Marisol was tapping her perfect little size seven foot, her perfect brown eyes zeroing in on Maya. Tristan was standing with his arms crossed, watching her. And they both spoke the same words.

"Where the hell is Zig?"

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><p>Zig walked out of the bathroom a moment later, his hands shaking. His pulse had spiked, he could feel his heart racing in his chest. Maya's sweet words had killed that vindictive voice inside his head. Her touch had cured his heartache and pain. And once again, she'd held back her feelings, pulling away from him. He should've ended this months ago. He should've ended this the moment it began. But no. Like the spineless weenie he was, he'd let this carry on much to far. And now it was only getting worse by the second.<p>

"ZIG!" Tristan shouted, much too loud. Zig was then dragged by the collar of his suit into the room marked Novak.

"Tristan!" Zig yelled back, annoyed with the fact that Tori had him on such a short leash, no pun intended. Tristan pushed him into the room.

"Zig, you have been MIA for twenty minutes!" Tristan yelled. "If you're not up there at exactly five o three p.m as planned, Tori will have both our butts, do you hear me? Our butts!" Tristan yelled. Zig tried extremely hard to swallow the laughter that filled his throat.

"Chill out, Tristan. Something tells me I'll be marrying Tori today if Maya has anything to say about it."

"What does Maya have to do with this?" Tristan yelled.

"Why are you yelling?" Zig asked.

"I don't know!" Tristan returned, leaving and slamming the door as he went. Zig rolled his eyes and turned to the other three men that stood in the small room with him.

All three were tall and buff. All three of them were Tori's brothers. All three of them were strangers to Zig.

"Zig! I'm here!" Toby exclaimed, coming into the small space. Zig hugged his little brother.

"Dude! Finally, my best man has arrived!" Zig said, grinning.

"Oh, I'm not the best man. Tori won't let me." Toby said. "She says that you needed someone, and I quote, small to be a ring bearer." Toby's face was red an annoyed. "I'm 14 years old, I'm not that short! In my personal opinion, you're too young for this." Toby complained, sitting down on a couch that was thrown into the corner, looking somewhat forgotten.

None of this made sense to Zig.

"Is mom here?" Zig asked, trying to push away his annoyance with Tori's wedding planning. Toby looked at Zig sadly.

"I managed to get her here, but she's…" he stumbled for the word.

"Indecent?" Zig questioned. Toby snapped his fingers.

"I was gonna say hung over, but that works too. Makes me sound smarter." Toby agreed. Zig sighed, sitting down next to him.

"One of the perks of almost going to Yale is that you get to say a lot of smart things and people actually believe you know what you're talking about." Zig muttered unhappily. The only thing he wanted for this day was his little brother standing by his side and his mom there, cheering him on like she used to before his dad died.

"Time to go, Novak." The tallest of the three brothers said to Zig, walking away.

"I'll be out in a second." Zig replied. Toby and the three Hollister models left.

Zig looked in the small, broken mirror that hung on the bland wall. He examined himself and sighed.

"Dad," he whispered. "Whatever happens, please help me. Help me do what's right." And that's all he had time to say before Toby came in and pulled him out by his collar.

He was really starting to hate that.

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><p>"Tori! Your hair looks fine!" Maya tried to convince the troubled bride that stood before her. Tori sighed.<p>

"Fine isn't good enough!" Tori shrieked. Maya eyed Tristan who pulled a small bottle out of his jacket pocket. He pressed it into Tori's hands and she gave him a bewildered look.

"It's tradition that the bride has one final shot before her wedding." Tristan explained. Maya rolled her eyes and left to acquire Tori's bouquet. Tori gulped the contents of the bottle down and threw the empty glass container to Tristan.

"Tori, it's time." Mairsol said, standing up. Maya handed Tori her bouquet and picked up her small clump of red roses, taking a deep breath. Tori grinned and looked like a pageant queen as she floated down the hallway to the foyer. Everyone had taken their seats, and the ocistra had started playing; light music floated into the hall, relaxing Maya. She took her place in line behind Marisol and in front of Tori's four year old cousins, the flower girls. This was it. There was no turning back now. She was about to watch her soul mate get married to someone who barely knew him.

"Maya, you have your speech, right?" Tristan asked. Maya froze. _Speech? What speech? What were these words that he was speaking?_

"I beg your pardon?" Maya managed.

"The speech you're giving…you're talking about Zig. And about love, since you're Zig's best friend." Tristan said. "Tori wanted you to do it because you know him better than anyone." _Ain't that the truth._

"At the reception?" Maya prayed out loud.

"Maya, you're like the first to speak in the ceremony." Tristan said. Maya bit her lip. She really should've paid attention when Tori talked during the wedding planning.

"I have it all up here." She said, tapping her temple and trying not to sound like a nervous basket case.

And then the slow music got even slower, if it was even possible. Two men Maya didn't recognize pulled open the heavy oak doors, and Marisol entered the room, slowly making her way down the aisle. Maya was next. God help her, she was next.

She moved her feet slowly, forcing her body to waltz down the aisle, toward Zig and everyone she knew.

Behind her, the flower girls squealed with delight as the rose petals floated to the floor. Behind them was Tristan, looking very pompous and pronounced. As Maya made her way down the aisle, she kept her eyes locked on Zig's. He just stared at her, trying hard to show no emotion. She could tell he was miserable, but she didn't do anything. She just thanked herself for taking the nail file away from him. She stopped in the front of the room, turning to face the audience. She kept her eyes on Zig's, staring at him. She'd remember that deep, emerald green forever. More importantly, she'd remember the man that belonged to those emerald eyes, the man that she loved. Everyone was suddenly hushed as Tori floated down the aisle, her intimidating father on her arm. She seemed to shine, like a lone star on a dark night. Tori eventually made it to the front, floating into place perfectly. Her smile was dazzling, although Maya could tell the color was fake.

"Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to witness Victoria Scarlet Hope Santamarina and Zig Nicolas Novak in the joining of holy matrimony." Reverend Gregory said. Zig stayed there, staring nervously at the girl he was marrying. The girl from eight grade biology class.

"Before we continue, I must first ask a question of you. Friends, family, loved ones. Is there anyone out there who believes these two for any reason should not be married? Speak now or forever hold your peace!" Reverend Greg said. The room was dead silent. Dead silent. You could hear a pin drop. But Maya's head wasn't silent. No, in Maya's head, every scene, every word, every look she'd ever shared with Zig was rushing back to her, all hitting her at once. She was in a daze, a time warp of memories. She was so in love with him, there were no words to describe it! And yet, as Zig stared into her eyes, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She heard a loud sigh that could have come from no one but Katie. She turned to see her sister nodding her forward, but she shook her head the slightest bit.

"Anyone? Anybody? The time to object would be now. No one? Are you sure?" reverend Greg didn't approve of this either. "Okay then, let us proceed." He said, somewhat defeated. She'd missed her chance! God damn it, she'd missed her chance! _Maya, get a grip. It's all for the best...you'll meet someone at university._ she thought to herself. She was disgusted with the lie she'd just told herself. This was anything but best for Zig.

"Now we invite Maya Matlin to speak with us." reverend Gregory said, moving to the side. Maya walked over to the space in between Zig and Tori. Tori flashed a smile at her however Zig refused to make eye contact.

"Everyone loves someone. Everybody here has someone they care about, someone they never want to live without." Maya started. "Love comes in different forms. Love is most commonly referred to as something you share with a person of the opposite sex, usually resulting in marriage. However, what we don't see is that love is so much more than that. Love is caring deeply in your heart for someone, unconditionally. Love is when you don't care who they want to be or what they believe in because you support everything they do. Love is wanting to stand by someone because they mean the world to you, no matter how hard it may be. Love is helping someone through a rough time in their life, never giving up on them." Maya said, not sure where she was going with this. It was the glance from Zig that changed everything. There she was talking about love, when she was letting the love of her life slip away from her.

"We all find love in different places, whether it be eight grade biology class, or on the way to a class in grade nine. Love is a bond that never breaks, but only grows stronger. Love is when you look at someone and know that they're the one. I've known Zig Novak for four years, never once have I heard him tell me he loves me as a friend. But he doesn't have to, because I know. I know that Zig loves me because of what he does, how he shows me. He's never afraid to speak his mind, he always tells me what he thinks. It's the little things, like lending me his favorite skateboard and grinning whenever he sees me that let me know he loves me. Love is confusing and baffling and strange. Love has driven me crazy the past few months, but now something is perfectly clear. When you love someone, never let them go, hold onto them. So I guess what I'm trying to say is," Maya said, ready to make her move, ready to tell everyone of her life-long love for Zig when someone cut her off.

"Stop the wedding!" They yelled. And then everything changed forever.

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><p><strong>AN: What do you think? I know, Cliffhanger. Review and tell me who you think is going to stop the wedding! I reallllly want to hear what you guys think! Reviews make my day! And may I wish everyone a fabulous spring break (unless you already had it, then I hope it was fun :) Also, I'm posting a few new stories sometime this week, so please check out my profile for the previews I posted there. Please PM me is you have any questions bout them, or leave your questions in a review, that works too. I'll also be updating all my other stories like ASAP, so look for those! A lot is coming, hope you all are ready! Lord knows I am! :)**

**Thanks again for reading and taking your time to review :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, I'm so sorry I didn't update sooner, i just really wanted to get this chapter perfect! After this is epilogue, so don't think this is the end just yet! :)**

**Please review, i poured my heart into this and want to know how I did! **

**I don't own degrassi. **

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

Maya's heart was pounding; she could clearly hear it over her raged breathing. Her shaking hands could barely keep hold of her bouquet of red roses. Those words…those words had the power to change everything…She whipped her head toward the back of the church, to witness a truly shocking sight. The woman's heels clicked as she walked, the sound ringing through the silent church. Slowly but confidently, she moved down the aisle toward where everyone stood.

"MOM!" Tori yelled, annoyance seeping from her voice. Tori's. Mother. Had. Stopped. The. Wedding. She'd stopped the wedding!

"Tori darling, let mommy talk." Tori's mother waved her aside, standing with one hand on her hip, skeptically looking Zig up and down.

"Mom-" Tori started before her mother talked over her.

"Victoria, I will not warn you again." She said harshly. For maybe the first time, Tori was speechless.

"Mrs. Santamarina, is there a problem?" Zig asked, forcing his voice to stay even and calm.

"Is there a problem? Well let me think, Zig." She said, pursing her lips and taping a manicured finger against them. "You see, Zig, my daughter had a ring on her finger, correct?" She asked. He nodded slowly and carefully. He knew that he was entering dangerous territory.

"Yes, that's correct." He said, his voice calm. Maya could see the strain and annoyance in his face and could hear the aching in his voice, though she was sure no one else could.

"And, you bought her that ring?" She questioned. Zig swallowed hard.

"Yes." He replied. He wasn't sure where she was going with this, but he had a feeling it wouldn't end well.

"You see ladies and gentlemen, when my daughter came to me saying Zig had proposed, well the truth is I was shocked. Mr. Novak has never once shown me any promise in the context of a marriage. He's is, shall we say, immature and his feelings are very vulnerable. So when I heard that he'd proposed, I was stunned. I honestly didn't think he had the courage." She said to the audience. Maya stole a peak at her family. Her father was frowning, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Her mother's expression was more insulted. She knew her mother didn't appreciate the amount of insults Mrs. Santamarina was throwing at Zig; Maya's mother had practically raised Zig during his teenaged years. Katie was a whole different story. Instead of confusion, she was filled with rage. Her eyes had darkened, zeroing in on Tori's mother. Drew had his arms around Katie's shoulders and back, holding her back from charging the rich woman.

"You see, from the moment I laid eyes on that ring, I knew something was wrong." She laughed, like she'd just been told a cute joke by a child. "So, darling Zig, I checked you out and I found out the truth about your pathetic life. You live in a one room apartment with your alcoholic mother and immature brother." She laughed. "I also found out that you hang around with that…_girl_. What was her name? Mira? Myrna? Oh wait…_Maya_." She said, grinning evilly. She was talking about Maya like she was the scum of the earth, which everyone, especially Zig, knew she wasn't.

"Now wait just a minute," Zig started, but couldn't finish because he was cut off.

"And further more, going back to my earlier accusation, I was rather skeptical of this engagement ring. So, being computer savvy as I am, I checked out Tori's recent credit transactions."

"No!" Tori gasped, embarrassed by her mother invading her privacy.

"Yes!" Tori's mother returned, grinning at her daughter. "And what I found didn't shock me the slightest bit. You see, there had been a transaction for 25,000 dollars. Looking closer, I found that the purchase was made a week before Tori came to me with this idea that Zig had proposed. You see, Zig being the poor, freeloading moocher he is didn't buy a ring, but made his fiancé purchase it herself! He took advantage of our hard-earned fortune so he'd be able to get by on an artist's salary. I should've known, Zig. You come from such a pitiful family, you couldn't help yourself. And waiting until the wedding to disclose this information, I have publicly humiliated you." She finished, grinning from ear to ear. Before Zig could even open his mouth, Maya threw her flowers down.

"Don't you _dare_ speak to him that way!" she exclaimed, defending him. She marched down the carpeted steps and stopped right in front of Tori's mother.

"Zig has done everything this vindictive little brat has asked him to do, and you have the nerve to accuse him of such outrageous actions? He didn't even want to marry her; he just didn't want to hurt her! You should be thanking him!" Maya defended. Zig came down the steps and grabbed Maya's elbow.

"Maya," he said. But Maya kept on talking.

"You have never worked a day in your perfect little life! You don't even have the slightest idea of what it's like to have to work for a living! You never went to college, you probably didn't even finish high schAnd you should question your selfish little daughter before you accuse Zig of marrying her for your money! She's been throwing money at him! Buying him new shoes, clothes, buying his art; she didn't give him a choice! He doesn't even want this!" Maya yelled.

"Maya, stop." Zig said. She turned around to stare into her best friend's eyes.

"I'm trying to help you here, Zig!" She said. "How could you not see that this isn't what is best for you!"

"Of course you know what's best for him." Tori's mother said. "You two have probably been sneaking around doing who-knows-what! You're trying to make him fall in love with you! Well sorry sweetheart, he doesn't." Tori's mother said. Maya turned back around to face Tori's mother and the audience.

"Stop putting words in his mouth! If you think he doesn't love me, which I never said he did, ask him for yourself!" Maya yelled. Tori's mother smirked.

"Well Zig? Do you love Maya or Tori?" She asked. Zig stared at Maya. He couldn't say he loved her, she'd be shunned by Tori and Tristan and all their friends forever. She'd be ruined socially, labeled a home wrecker. He couldn't do that to her.

"I don't love Maya." He said, staring at her. Maya's heart dropped in her chest. Suddenly her whole body was numb; she couldn't breathe.

"What?" she whispered.

"I don't love you." he said again. She turned to Tori's mother.

"Happy now?" she asked. "Or do you want to try and kiss him like in those sappy romantic comedies?" She asked. Maya shook her head, still unable to think; he mind was frozen. "Oh cheer up darling. It's not like you ever really had a chance." Tori's mother said, fake sympathy filling her voice.

"That's it!" Katie yelled, breaking Drew's grip. He tried to grab her, but she ran too fast. She raced toward Tori's mother and slapped her. The whole room broke into loud screams and arguments erupted between the Novaks/Matlins and the Santamarinas.

"You little bitch!" Tori yelled at Maya. Zig tried to grab Maya's hand to explain himself to her, but she broke the grasp he had on her and ran. She broke into a sprint, no longer fighting the tears that had formed behind her eyes. He didn't love her. He'd been playing her; messing with her emotions. Her feet pounded against the ground, moving her body forward. She wouldn't stop. She wouldn't stop until she was sure she could face her feelings.

"Maya! Maya, wait!" Zig called. But she was already gone.

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><p><strong>AN: GASP! So that's the end! Well...there's still an epilogue! I promise, in the epilogue, all questions will be answered and all secrets will be revealted! Please don't have me for ending like this, you never know what you'll find in the epilogue...*wink *wink. Please review!**


	5. Epilogue

**_Hey. So I got some angry emails lol. Sorry if the last chapter was confusing, this should explain everything. Here it goes!_**

**_I don't own degrassi... _**

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><p><strong><em>Epilogue<em>**

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><p><em>September 1st, 2012<em>

_Dear Journal,_

_Well, it's been about six months since Zig's wedding. I ran out and didn't get to see the service, but I'm sure it was nice. After Tori's mother had told me off and all that kaios began, I ran away. I know, it was a stupid thing to do. But after everything that happened, I had to. I have no idea why Zig was sending me such mixed signals. First he kisses me the morning of his wedding, then he kisses me in the church bathroom, then he tell everyone he doesn't love me. I still cry at night sometimes when I miss him. I remember the way he smiled, the way he laughed, the way his eyes shone…god I miss him so much. _

_I decided to go to Yale and moved to an apartment in New Haven, C__onnecticut__ last weekend. Dad has a friend who's a professor here and she helped me settle in. Katie finally graduated college and got a job in Toronto writing for a sports magazine. Speaking of graduating, I did something stupid last March. I transferred school. I know, I'm an idiot. I just couldn't take being at Degrassi and seeing Zig and Tori married and in love. Degrassi had too may memories of Zig. I moved to another school called Lakehurst. It's nice enough, but I really wish I had stayed at Degrassi for the remainder of my senior year; I really wanted to graduate with my friends. What am I talking about? Zig was my only friend. Anyway, I haven't seen him since the wedding. I don't know what happened after I left, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like the results. _

_I like Yale. It's pretty here and I'm excited about classes starting. My first one is in a few days. I'm majoring in music (surprise, surprise) and have already met some great friends. Katie came to Yale with me last weekend to help me get situated and talked smack about Zig the whole time. Drew was there too and helped me paint. It was nice to see my sister, I'm really going to miss her. _

_Guess what I got in the mail? A package from Zig. I honestly have no idea what's in it and have no desire to. It's pretty big, about six feet by four feet. I'm actually afraid that if I open it, I'll never get over him. I was so in love with him, I feel so stupid for thinking he loved me too. I just hope he's happy. I love him so much and always will, I just want him to be happy. His happiness means the world to me. I really should call him…he deserves that. He's made so many attempts to come to my house and call me and talk to me and I have just ignored him. I feel so bad, I really need to at least shoot him a text…right?_

_Uhhh! Denial. Anyway, I'm going to go practice my music, I really wanna impress my professors._

_I'll write again soon…wish me luck in mending my broken heart. _

_Truly yours, Maya Matlin_

I close my small leather journal and tie the string back around it, securing my secrets and feelings inside. I slide it into my leather tote and pull it onto my shoulder. I reach down to pick up my cello when I realize it's gone. Frantically I stand up and look around the busy campus. My mind is racing, who the hell would steal such a crappy, beaten up instrument? Someone had to be desperate for cash if they would steal it. I start to walk around the area, looking for my cello. It's the only thing that reminds me of home, I'll kill whoever took it.

"Looking for something?" Someone asks me. I turn around and drop my coffee cup. My heart rate has spiked. A million feelings suddenly rush into my heart, over powering my mind. He's there. With. My. Cello. Case. I drop my bag and run toward him, leaping into his arms and hugging him.

"Zig," I whispered into his dark brown hair. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm a student here." He said, setting me down. I stare up into his green eyes; they're bright and illuminated with happiness. I smile softly.

"How?" I managed to ask. I forgot about all my heart break for a moment.

"I…I didn't marry Tori." He whispered, pushing a blond wave behind my ear. I notice he doesn't have a ring on his finger and my heart fills with joy.

"You didn't?"

"Maya I didn't love her." he said. I stare at him in confusion.

"But…but you said…" Now the heartbreak was rushing back, hitting me like a truck. "You said you didn't love me."

"I didn't want people to blame you for what happened between Tori and me. I didn't want you to be labeled a home wrecker like Marisol was. I loved you too much." He said softly. I didn't want to believe him. He'd hurt me so bad, I didn't want to let him come here and sweep me off my feet. But I couldn't fight my feelings, once again they were running away with me.

"So you broke my heart to help me?" I asked.

"I tried to find you after the wedding, but you ran out. And then you wouldn't take my calls…I guess you never got my package." He said. I raised an eyebrow.

"What was in it?" I asked carefully.

"A letter explaining everything and a painting. It was painted with the finest eggshell paints. My muse bought them for me." he said. I sighed.

"You sent me the only exception?" I asked. He nodded, a tiny smile tugging at his lips.

"Maya, I never wanted to hurt you."

"Zig…you broke my heart."

"I love you so much Maya. You're right…I should've fought for you." he said. I stared up into his eyes, trying to decide what to do.

"Zig…"

"Maya please give me one chance." He said.

"To do what?" I asked. He smiled and looped his arms around me.

"This." He said. He pressed his soft lips to mine, and once again, we kissed. It wasn't rushed…it was perfect. Slow and soft and gentle and…perfect. He pulled away after a moment.

"So can I have a chance Maya? You said it yourself, you always thought we 'd have a chance." He said. "So how about that chance?"

"Zig…I think you have unlimited chances." I whispered. And that was all I said before my true love kissed me again.

It was long over due; we'd waited so long, we'd been through so much. And finally, here we were, kissing at yale. And it's funny because somehow this is always how I'd pictured us ending up.

"It's always been you, Maya. I wish I saw it before." He said.

"It's okay…because this is how it always will be." I promised. And then he kissed me again.

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><p><strong>The End (For Real This Time)<strong>

**A/N: So did it end better than you thought? Please review and tell me! Hope I didn't disapoint! :) You are all so amazing and I hope you all have a great holiday (easter, passover, whatever you celebrate) I hope you come back to read more of my stories, I love hearing from you. If anybody would like me to write a story about an character, shoot me a PM or a review, I'd love to write one! Don't by shy! And just know how greatful I am for each and every one of you who reviewed, I wouldn't be a writer without my readers :)**


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